Long-Term Care: How to Find Benefits for Older Adults

Many older adults are unaware that they may be eligible for a range of benefits, and it's not easy to find them one by one. BenefitsCheckUp, a free tool from the National Council on Aging, is a good place to start. The website asks questions about you (or the person for whom you are seeking assistance) and then directs you to the agencies in your community that may be able to help. Some of the services include help paying for medications or food, legal advice, utilities, housing, in-home services, taxes, transportation, or employment training.

After you complete the survey, you will receive a written report and you can take the next steps by applying online or in person.

Your state or city department of aging may have a similar site that has additional local resources. For example, The New York City Department for the Aging has a guide called "Benefits for Older New Yorkers at a Glance."